Monday, 10 December 2012

Lawmaker Says Supply Of Raw Water In Selangor Will Deplete If New Sources Untapped

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Selangor may be on the verge of a shortage of
raw water should new sources of water remain untapped amidst the ongoing
challenge to supply adequate treated water to numerous homes, offices,
restaurants and factories in the state, says a federal lawmaker.

MCA Pandan MP Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the Selangor government
must take stock to ensure that the current supply of raw water would be
in tandem with population and industrial production growth, noting that
certain portions of raw water currently sourced could not be treated and
consumed by the state’s population.

“Why must we confuse the people by portraying that we have sufficient
raw water? We know very well that not all the raw water that we have is
suitable for treatment because we do understand that the raw water in
certain areas may contain heavy metal, and this might even cost you a
fortune in seeking (medical) treatment,” he said in an interview.

Ongcriticised
the Selangor government for not tabling “convincing figures” or
statistics in the state assembly that would put an end to the water
impasse, saying that Selangor was grappling with two water issues on
different fronts, namely, the shortage of raw water and raising the
capacity of water treatment plants.

“Pakatan Rakyat state legislators have been saying that we have
enough raw water just because it is now the rainy season and all the
dams are full. By saying that the reservoirs are full of water doesn’t
mean that you have enough raw water in reality. We want the state
government to come up with some unbiased statistics in order not to
confuse the people,” said the seasoned politician.

He said the role of Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas)
was confined to the distribution of treated water to Selangor, Kuala
Lumpur and Putrajaya, and that it was the state government’s
jurisdiction over the issue of raw water to be provided to water
treatment plants.

Ong, who is a former transport minister, also questioned the state
government’s ability to guarantee uninterrupted flow of water if it were
to secure a 100 per cent stake and full management rights of Syabas
against the backdrop of not constructing new water treatment plants and
not tapping new sources of raw water.

“Just by reshuffling or maybe taking control of the management rights
and the water assets of the concessionaire, do you think the state
government can resolve a water crisis in the long run? I doubt so,” he
said.

Ong pointed out that the Langat 2 mitigation project was among
several programmes that were planned before the 2008 general election to
cope with the high demand for treated water due to the mushrooming of
factories and business parks in the state, saying that the state
authorities should look at it objectively and prevent a repeat of the
1997-98 water crisis.

“I do understand that the state government is playing hard ball with
the federal government, especially when they make it a prerequisite to
be guaranteed the transfer of the management rights of all the water
assets, including the Langat 2 treatment plant (upon completion), before
they agree to grant the green light to the project (Langat 2),” he
said.

Last week, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri
Peter Chin Fah Kui told the Dewan Negara that the Langat 2 water
treatment project had fallen behind schedule by 29 months and that the
Selangor government should withdraw its directives to local councils to
hold off giving the approvals that would allow 22 tender packages
related to the plant to be disbursed.

The minister said the project, according to the original schedule,
should have been 68.95 per cent ready as of October this year but the
status of the project was only 28.40 per cent complete.

On the Selangor government’s announcement to reopen the Bukit
Jelutong water treatment plant as a pioneer project for membrane
technology to treat water, Ong said the people had yet to see it
translated into “real action” and it was vital for the state to announce
new sources of raw water other than that from Pahang.

“On the Pahang raw water, I still remember, the current state
administration said we do not need that, meaning they claim that they
have sufficient raw water. But, actually, this is not true. So how are
they going to handle such a situation? Ultimately, you have to face the
people,” he said, adding that the existing capacity of the 34 water
treatment plants in the state was at the optimum level.

In September, it was reported that the Pahang government would
consider cancelling the raw water supply agreement with Selangor if the
latter continued to politicise the issue.

The water transfer project between the two states will see 1,890
million litres of raw water pumped daily from Sungai Semantan in Pahang
to the Hulu Langat water treatment facility in Selangor.

Questioned on the possibility of a sharp tariff hike with the current
Langat 2 project proceeding as planned, Ong replied: “It depends on the
negotiations between the state government and the federal government. I
see no reason why the state administration wants to make this an issue.

“By making this an issue, alleging that they have to pay high tariffs
because of Langat 2, is tantamount to putting the cart before the
horse.” — Bernama